English Language Center Insights Fall 2015 - Issue 2

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English Language Center

English Language Center Insights

Fall 2015 – Issue 2 Contents: p. 2-3

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A Newsletter for & about our students & faculty

to + Dates Remember --------------------

A tribute to our Director & Colleague Students from Karla’s writing class answer the question “Are prestigious universities a good investment?”

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Students from Tammy’s grammar class share stories from their childhoods

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Student recipes

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A word of thanks; Looking ahead; Crossword puzzle

Thanks for a great fall semester!

We made some great memories and learned some valuable lessons this

* Spring semester begins on January 11th and ends May 4th.

semester! Some of you learned how to paddle a kayak or stand up on a

* The deadline for summer applications at the ELC is May 1st.

game. Some advanced their writing and grammar skills in impressive

* Follow us on Facebook to track the activities!

paddleboard on the lake (can you believe that was also this semester? – BRRR!). Others carved their first pumpkin and went to their first NBA ways or did more reading in four months than in the previous four years!

Whatever memories you’ve made, we hope that you will share them with others and continue to be the phenomenal human beings that you are!

Don’t forget to practice your English this winter too! ~Katie

English Language Center

Fall 2015 – Issue 2

At the end of this semester, ELC Director Holly Shi will be returning full-time to the English department. Dr. Shi is the founding Director of the English Language Center, which she started eight years ago. She built it into an outstanding resource for international students and faculty who sought to improve their English. Over these years, numerous conditionally admitted international students matriculated successfully and received degrees from WSU. Under her leadership, several important international partnerships were developed, and many TESOL graduate students had the opportunity to intern in the ELC. We are grateful for her many years of enthusiasm, expertise, and commitment she brought to her role as Director.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A WONDERFUL DIRECTOR DR. SHI! I will miss you. You may not be aware how important and valuable your presence has been for me the last four years in the ELC. I regard you as a professional mentor, who has supported me and the program at all times. I have witnessed your compassion, empathy, and encouragement with students. In addition, I consider you one of few personal role models on a short list in my life of 36 years. ~Karla Holly, your guidance has meant so much to me since I began working at the ELC in 2010. Not only have you helped me to learn more about teaching, planning, and leading, but you have also given me so many great opportunities to advance my career. I appreciate the chances I’ve had to teach all of the skills in the ELC over the years, to research the Global Engagement of the WSU community, and to teach Chinese instructors in both Winona and in Tianjin! I couldn’t have done it without you. You have helped shape so many academic and professional careers; I have no doubt that you’ll continue to do so! ~Katie Holly, Thank you for your advice and guidance for the last six years. You have been so supportive of me first in my education and then in my career. I can't even imagine where I would be right now f you hadn't started the ELC. You helped make it possible for me to travel to China, which has been one of the most important events in my life. I will never be able to thank you enough for your care and support.

One of the best things that I have learned from your teaching is that a caring and supportive environment allows students to succeed. I always appreciated that you would take the time to allow us to talk about our thoughts in class. It made us feel like our thoughts mattered. I will miss you, but I know you will get to enjoy your grandson and your farm more now. All the best, Tammy :)

Dear Holly, I have certainly learned a lot over the last year and a half, and I thank you. I am very grateful for your guidance and the opportunity you gave me to be a part of one of the best places on campus.

You will be missed. ~Susan

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Fall 2015 – Issue 2

English Language Center

Dear Lara, Thank you for your years of teaching in the ELC!! As you depart from Winona, we reflect on the countless hours you have spent patiently guiding your students, the sense of humor you brought to your colleagues, and your always-present charismatic and musical spirit! We envy your new colleagues and know that you will be a hit there as well!

We hope you continue to incorporate authentic experiences for your students in and out of the classroom! The ELC would not be what it is today without you and YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED! Sincerely, THE ELC Staff Lara Olson has resigned from the ELC to begin a full-time position at UWSP.

Students from Karla’s writing class answer the question: “Are prestigious universities a good investment?”

Are Brand Names Worth Their High Tuition

Written by Mohsen Alsaffar

The article “Brand Names, Bad Values?” by Daniel Gross, talks about the tuition for the famous universities and compares it with the regular universities. Also it talks about if the famous universities are worth the high tuition or not. Many people think that famous universities have better education. There are four points in the article that I would like to discuss.

These are; it’s not necessary to go to famous university to get a good job, great education is not only in a famous university, families get debt to let their children go to famous university, and families ask about the facility and the quality of the university instead of asking about the education in the university.

In the first place, Daniel indicates that it is not necessary to go to famous universities to get a job. Many people think that if they go to a famous university, it would help them to get a really grateful job. I agree with Daniel because even if we go to regular universities, we can get a job. We don’t need to pay more to study in a famous university, but instead, we could pay less and study in a regular university and get a good job. It all depends on the how good the quality of the class students had and how good they are in the filed of their study.

Furthermore, Daniel discussed that we don’t have to go to famous universities to get great education. People think that if they go to a famous university, they will get better education, but not at regular universities. I think Daniel’s point is true because expensiveness doesn’t always mean good. We could get a really good education even if we go to regular universities.

In the same way, Daniel mentioned that families often get into debt to ley their children go to famous universities.

Families always take care of their children and they always try to give their children the best thing. But they don’t have to get into a lot of debt to have their children study when children can get good education at lower cost at regular universities.

Parents could have less debt and children can be educated very well.

By the same token, Daniel discussed that when students go to see the university, they ask about the facilities and the other things instead of asking about the education. I agree with him because people now think of the university as a product.

Also they think about their comfort more than any thing else. For example, about the comfort like classroom environment and technology that used. They should think about the education first not about the comfort.

To sum up, we don’t have to go to a famous university to get a good job or better education. Also we don’t have to go to famous universities and have a lot of debt or think of the university, as a product. We should think of the university as what it is supposed to be for students, a place to be educated. The more important thing is the quality of education the university provides to their students.

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English Language Center

Expensive Colleges Are Worth Going To

Fall 2015 – Issue 2

Written by Bassel Al-Hassan

The article “Brand Names, Bad Values?� by Daniel Gross, is comparing between the tuition of expensive colleges and regular colleges. Nowadays many people go to colleges and try their best to graduate with a high GPA. Many people think that graduating from any college does not matter if they have a high GPA, but it is not true. Expensive colleges affect the educator in learning in a good facility, meeting powerful people and getting more job opportunities in the future.

First, famous or expensive colleges are worth going to to because of the good facilities that the college could provide.

For example, if someone goes to a famous college, he or she will have advanced equipment to use in their field. Unlike if someone goes to a cheap college, the college is going to find difficulties in providing the best items for students. So, expensive colleges are worth to go to, because of the equipment that they can provide that other cheap colleges will face difficulties to provide.

Second, famous or expensive colleges are worth going to because of the famous and powerful people that someone will meet. For example, if someone goes to an expensive college, he or she will get to know people that might help him or her in the future. But, if someone goes to a not famous college, he or she probably will not meet powerful people that might help them in the future. That is why going to a famous college could help someone to find powerful people who could help him or her in the future.

Finally, Daniel indicates it is not necessary to go to famous universities to get a job. Famous or expensive colleges are worth going to because most companies prefer someone who graduates from a mighty college. Nowadays, companies choose a person who graduates from a famous college because companies want to improve by giving jobs for people who learned in the best colleges from the best professors. I agree with Daniel because going to a mighty university is not as important as how the person is educated.

In conclusion, famous or expensive colleges are worth going to because of the equipment they can provide, the famous and powerful people who might help someone in the future and more job opportunities after graduating.

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ELC students enjoyed the fall holidays by carving pumpkins, visiting a haunted house, and attending the Recreation & Tourism student-prepared Thanksgiving dinner!

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Fall 2015 – Issue 2

English Language Center

Tammy’s Grammar Students Share Stories from Their Childhoods

First Year in Elementary School Written By Hamad Al Dowais When I was a first grader in the elementary school, I was seven years old. One day, my cousin called me on the telephone and I responded. He told me to bring his headscarf outside, so I went to give it to him. But he was on the other side of the street. So I went across the street and gave him his headscarf. When I tried to come back to the other side, there was traffic on the street and I was hit by a car. I passed out. Suddenly I woke up in the hospital and there were many doctors standing around me. I didn’t know what happened at that moment so I cried and said, “where is my mother? I want my mother.”

In that day I lost a lot of blood because of the accident, and they transfered blood into my body. The doctor said you should to stay two weeks to three weeks in the hospital, and when my mother knew about what happened for me she was crying and worrying about me, and she thought I would die. After one day my mother came to the hospital and she stayed with me three weeks in the infirmary. When my condition improved, I went to my home, and I didn’t go to the school for maybe one more month because in those days I couldn’t walk very well.

Remorse Means Guilt Written By Abdullah Al Dharfan Although the first time I felt strange was many years ago, I can still remember how hard experiencing this feeling was. My dad and mom were happy to have a boy after two girls, that boy was me. Someday I thought to buy a bird then I told my dad and he agreed. In that day I asked my father to go to his friends, but he ignored me. When he went to his friends, I was tired and I slept. After I woke up, I remembered I wanted to go with my dad then I went outside home and I walked to that place where my dad met his friends first time. It was dark when I was on my way to that place, I was afraid because I heard many voices around and I imagined there were monsters due to the darkness. I felt tired because I walked for long time. Suddenly I saw a light that was came from a car. When the car passed beside me, I realized it was my uncle’s car then I ran and yelled “ uncle, please turn back I’m Abdullah” then he turned back and he took me home. It was two o’clock a.m my parents did know that I was outside because they thought I was sleep during this time.

The next day my dad took me to buy a bird. I bought a white bird and was happy to have it. I played with my bird all the day then he got dirty and his feathers started to change to black. I did like the bird when he got dirty and I thought to clean it. I saw my mom when she did laundry, then I got an idea to clean the bird. I took the bird and washed his feathers, but that was not enough then I brought soap to clean it. His feathers started to get white, but the bird did not move. I thought he slept while I washed him, but I realized he died!

How could that happened! He was my friend and I tried to help him, that moment was the first time I felt something strange, and so strong. I ran to mom and I tried to explain what happened. My dad and mom tried to convince me it happened not because of me. I knew that he died because of me I took his life while he deserved to live. That feeling I felt was guilty and I was six years old.

A lot of ideas came to my head to punish myself. I decided to die, who killed his friend did not deserve to still alive. After I decided to die I did not eat for whole day. My mom was worried and she tried so hard with me to eat, but she got nothing. When she realized that my choice was a serious decision, she started to tell me many stories about bad people. They killed others and they did bad things with people, but even they still alive even if we think they did not deserved to live. After she told the stories, she said you did not think to kill your friend it was mistake. I believed my mom and because of this thought to live and I will continue to for my friend.

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Fall 2015 – Issue 2

English Language Center

Special Sandwich Contributed by Abdullah Al Dharfan Ingredients 3 Chicken breasts Bread 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 onion 1 tomato ¼ cup ketchup ¼ cup hot sauce ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup yogurt Garlic Cheddar Vegetable oil Salt -----------------------------------------------

Directions Cut chicken breasts into small pieces. Put melted butter in pan then fry chicken pieces. Put bread in dish then mix ketchup and mayonnaise. Rub the bread with ketchup mixture. Flip chicken pieces and brown on the other side. Cook until done, and then remove the chicken from the skillet. Chop onion and tomato. Fry onion and tomato by vegetable oil then add garlic. Make new mixture by mixing yogurt and hot sauce. Put the chicken pieces in the bread then pour yogurt mixture over it. Sprinkle salt on onion after making sure it is brown then add it to chicken pieces on the bread.

Cover it with other slice of bread and add cheddar on top. Turn the heat to medium. Enter sandwich in oven and wait for a few minutes to melt cheddar.

Eat and enjoy.

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Yoghurt cake Contributed by Abeer Alsubaie Ingredients 3 eggs 1/2 cup oil 1cup sugar 1 yogurt 1 tbsp vanilla 1 tbsp baking powder 3 tbsp milk powder 2 cup flour Nutella

Directions 1- Heat oven to 325f 2- mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat well.

Then add milk powder, flour, baking powder and yogurt.

Beat all ingredients.

3- pour batter in baking dish.

4- bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from the dish.

5- decorate with nutella.

RECIPES WHAT’S COOKIN’ GOOD LOOKIN’?

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English Language Center

Thank you to all of our contributors: Abdullah Al Dharfan, Hamad Al Dowais, Bassel AlHassan, Mohsen Alsaffar, Abeer Alsubaie And thank you to everyone for a great semester!

Fall 2015 – Issue 2